HP Ready to Take on Apple's iPad

By Jeff Gamet

Feb 18th, 2010 11:36 AM EST

HP's Slate tablet computer was unveiled during CES 2010 in January, and the company looks to be ready to position it squarely against Apple's soon to be released iPad. The PC maker is planning on is reported to be working on refining the device's features ahead of its launch, and plans to undercut Apple's iPad pricing, too, according to to the Wall Street Journal.

Unnamed sources familiar with HP's plans claim company executives will be meeting in the U.S. and Japan over the next few weeks to finalize the Slate's feature set and pricing. Apparently HP is planning on selling the Slate below the 16GB iPad model with Wi-Fi and 3G's US$629 price point.

Where Apple's iPad will be running a version of iPhone OS, however, HP's Slate will run Windows 7 -- an option that may be compelling to some PC users that aren't happy about the idea of being limited to Apple's App Store for additional applications.

Just how well HP's Slate and the iPad hold up against each other, however, remains to be seen. Neither has hit store shelves yet, but if initial consumer interest is any indication, HP may have some extra work in store to keep up with the iPad.